Luring worries Marysville neighbors

KOMO TV aired a story on Tuesday night about incidents that have people living in a Marysville neighborhood concerned.

We are monitoring, but haven't opted to do an article at this point. Below is a statement Marysville police Cmdr. Robb Lamareux emailed this afternoon about what is going on from the police department's perspective:

From: Robert Lamoureux

Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 2:19 PM

Subject: Recent Incidents in Marysville

Media Partners:

I wanted to take the time to clarify a couple of points with you about some information that has been circulating the past few days regarding two reported incidents that occurred on June 21st in the Carroll's Creek Landing community, in Marysville. The Marysville Police Department had been investigating two reported incidents, one that was reported on the actual date of both incidents, June 21st, and the other that was reported to us 10 days later, July 1st.

In the first reported incident an adult woman was walking her toddler son along the sidewalk when a vehicle approached her and yelled at her through the window to, "get the f___ in the car." She picked up her son and ran away through the complex. In the second reported incident a woman reported her 3-year old son was riding his bike in the roadway at the end of a dead-end street within view of her home. She stepped inside for a couple of minutes and when she returned she observed a vehicle parked next to her son. She described the back door to the car being open and that she could see two males in the front seat were clearly talking to her son and that she believed an attempt was being made to get her son into the car.

Clarification Point 1: While we have expended resources to investigate the incidents, only one of these incidents could be considered a possible crime, however due to the age of the child involved we were not able to confirm exactly what was said or took place when he was approached while on his bike, therefore unable to verify that an actual crime took place. (Note** Due to the description of the encounter by the mother we were concerned enough that it was, in fact, investigated as a crime.) The crime of kidnapping or attempted kidnapping, which has been used by media recently to describe the events, is when a person intentionally abducts or attempts to abduct another person. In these crimes there is a component of physical force or threat being used during the crime. Neither of the two incidents that were reported to us involved any type of force used or any threat by a suspect to abduct either of the victims. The crime of luring is when an individual orders, lures, or attempts to lure a minor (under age 16) or a person with a developmental disability into any area or structure that is obscured from or inaccessible to the public or into a motor vehicle. In the first incident the reporting female was an adult, thereby luring is not an applicable crime, and in the second incident we do not know what was said to the male child.

The above said, when we were made aware of these incidents we did investigate them. These reported incidents went to our Investigations Division and assigned to a detective. At one point we had six detectives conducting surveillance in the neighborhood in the event a vehicle that was described by one of the victims returned to the area. Our detective was able to follow-up on the only piece of information, or lead, provided by the victims, specifically a vehicle description and license plate. This vehicle and the owner of the vehicle were ultimately found to not be involved in either of the incidents. This vehicle information was the only information that we had that could be investigated and there has been no further information that has come to light that has allowed us to move the investigation forward.

Clarification Point 2: In response to media inquiries regarding a supposed police department "town hall" meeting to discuss these recent events; The Marysville Police Department is not sponsoring a meeting in the Carroll's Creek Landing community. In late May, and prior to any of the current events taking place, we were contacted by a representative of the management company and asked to participate as an agenda item at an upcoming community meeting they were going to hold. Our small part was to discuss some safety issues, graffiti, and when to call 911. Again, it is not a public meeting being put on by the Police Department. It is a community meeting put on by the property management company for that neighborhood and it is their sole decision as to whether to invite outside participants. That said, it would not be appropriate for me to provide you meeting information or invite you to their meeting.

Hope this clarifies some things for you. Feel free to contact me should you have any questions regarding this correspondence,

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